Crew In Talks With Hejduk

The Crew is currently in talks with former team MVP and fan favorite Frankie Hejduk for a role
with the club, president and general manager Mark McCullers confirmed.

“We have been talking with Frankie and we are working on creating a role for him and I’m
optimistic it’s going to come together,” McCullers said Saturday while in Charleston, S.C. “It’s
been a busy offseason but he and I have been touching base. He texted me before I got on the plane
to come down here. We’re going to get together sometime soon. We’ve started talking about it.”

After playing for the Crew from 2003-2010, Hejduk’s option was declined by the club and he was
subsequently drafted by Sporting Kansas City in the league’s re-entry draft following the 2010
season. He was then traded to Los Angeles, where he saw limited action before retiring after the
2011 season. He is currently living in Columbus.

McCullers said Hejduk’s popularity with the team’s fan base is a factor in driving the
situation. Duncan Oughton, one of Hejduk’s former teammates, is currently on the coaching staff as
an assistant to technical director Brian Bliss as well as a television analyst.

“There’s some Crew players that just resonate,” McCullers said. “Brian McBride still resonates.
Frankie resonates and that certainly has value for us.

“I would love to have Frankie in the organization. I think Duncan has worked out really well. To
the extent that we can have those types of players, those iconic players stay with our
organization, I think that certainly is helpful to us.”

On the pitch, McCullers also confirmed the team’s interest in Costa Rican striker
Jairo Arrieta, who currently suits up for Deportivo Saprissa and has played for the national
team.

“He’s a player that we have interest in,” he said. “Obviously we follow Central America close
and we keep tabs on most of the players down there. He’s a goal scorer and he’s a different type of
player than (Olman) Vargas in terms of his style and what he brings.

However, McCullers stopped short of saying the signing was imminent, adding that he “certainly
doesn’t” see Arrieta leaving his current club before summer.

The team continues to work at signing a designated player during the summer transfer window as
well.

Training resumes today in Columbus as the Crew prepares for Saturday's season
opener at Colorado, so be sure to check the blog later for notes and quotes from the action.